Overheating the stove is a common mistake that can have serious consequences on the durability of your stove. 

Overheating can affect:

a) The vermiculite

Vermiculite is a natural material and as such its appearance and physical properties can change if it is exposed to very intense heat for a prolonged period of time. 

The colour of vermiculite changes when it reaches higher temperatures. A dark, reddish vermiculite can indicate that the stove was overheated. See illustration below. 

If vermiculite is overheated, it will become: 

• More fragile: it will break easily if exposed to changes in temperature or pressure from the expanding metal inside the combustion chamber. 
• More brittle: it will break easily if hit accidentally while loading the stove. 
• Less effective: it will lose its ability to insolate the stove, which will then lose its efficiency. 

b) Grate and brazier

If the stove overheats, the grate might bend. In addition, the brazier in the hybrid stove can crumble. 

c) The paint

Aduro wood burning stoves are painted with a heat-resistant spray paint which can withstand temperatures of up to 500 degrees. If the stove is exposed to very intense heat, the paint might start to peel. The advantage of this type of paint is that it is super easy to repaint the stove. Find instructions here. 

d) The metal 

Aduro stoves are designed with a tolerance that allows the metal to expand as the stove heats up. However, if the stove overheats, the metal might expand beyond its tolerance, resulting in damages to the stove or its elements. Typically, this results in cracks in the metal or deformations of the stove’s elements (such as the back-/top-/side plate of the stove, metal baffle plate, closing mechanism, hinges, glass fittings, gaskets or pipes). 

Moreover, if the stove overheats, it will emit a continuous ticking noise. This noise is normal, especially when the stove heats up, but if it happens with great frequency well after the stove has reached the operational temperature, this can indicate that the stove is too hot. 

e) The glass

If the stove overheats, the glass can turn white. This typically happens if you have been burning newspapers/milk cartons, pressure-treated wood, sawdust or non-approved fuel sources. 

How to avoid overheating

There are several things you can do to avoid overheating. Learn more here.